Lily, Part 1 of 2
by MissMarrrie
Summary: This was supposed to only be a one-shot but I had to break it into 2 parts. This is a Dragon Queen fanfic in which Mal is given the news that Lily had passed days before they were supposed to meet for the first time. Having no one to turn to, she shows up on Regina's doorstep, desperate for someone to hold her together.
1. Chapter 1

*Plot lines may not match up equally to canon plot lines, please be aware. I had to make some tweaking to make this work the way that I wanted to, so please try to forget some of what you watched when reading this.*

Emma Swan stood at the edge of the grass-covered field, fighting back the tears that were stinging at the corners of her eyes. Everything was supposed to be so simple, so in reach and so easily obtainable, now everything was gone. She had obviously been kidding herself, nothing ever came easy for her. The time that had passed between them suddenly didn't seem so lengthy, if anything it felt like she had just said goodbye yesterday. Knowing now that her personality and her poor choice of actions were the doing of her parents, she felt the worst heartache over never getting the chance to say she was sorry. She was more than sorry, she was broken.

She knelt before a stone on the ground and twirled a yellow flower around between her fingers. It wasn't much, but she had found it on a walk she had taken earlier and it was all she had. The memories pounded through her skull and finally caused the tears to run down her cheeks; the composure she so desperately tried to hold on to now gone. Their friendship was never ideal. It was never pure or full of good intent. It was toxic but it was beautiful. At one time they were everything to one another, like good and evil; or more like dark and light. They say that opposites were the type to attract, and this definitely held true with the both of them. Suddenly she was in the body of her fifteen year-old self, ready to grow up too soon and push away one of the only people who had ever cared about her. That's all she ever did, push everyone away and hurt them. Anything to be selfish. The flower fell gracefully next to Emma's feet, adding to the tears and lining the name of her lost best friend.

'In memory of Lilith Page.'

It was only eight in the morning and Maleficent was already dressed, had her hair done and was walking around town. It was a miracle to say the least; she hadn't seen this time of morning in decades. She was a villain, she didn't have that many other responsibilities. She had barely slept the night before, far too excited to finally see her daughter after all of these broken years. The moment Gold told her that Lily was still alive had set her heart into overdrive, filling her with the type of positive emotion that she was no where near used to. The anticipation was killing her and she found herself peeking around the corner in hope that Emma's yellow bug would come into the distance soon. As much as she hated to admit it, she did owe her gratitude to the Savior and would forever be in debt to her after this rekindling. The town was almost eerie at this time, no soul around to make noise or cause trouble. Even as someone who liked to cause havoc onto others, Mal loved the peacefulness of the world around her. Maybe she should start getting up early more often.

It felt like hours that she walked and walked, trying to keep her mind clear and her nerves calm. The morning had a chill to it, but it was better than sitting inside and staring at the door. She wasn't sure when Emma would return and she didn't care; all she could think about was her Lily. As excited and happy she was, there was still gloom that would forever weigh on her chest. She would never have the chance to go back and see her first smile, hear her first word or see her take her first steps. She would never know what it was like to have a child wrap it's hand around her finger, cry for her attention in the middle of the night or reach for her when she tried to walk away. Of course she was a mother, but one of the best parts of motherhood were long gone and she had played no part in it. It was easy to become consumed with the want for revenge for what those two did to her, but there was no time. Lily was older now and spending their time together trying to bring down Snow and Charming would be a waste of precious memories. She reached into her pocket and let her fingers trace the rattle that she always carried with her. It seemed taboo to others, to carry a baby rattle around when you've never seen your daughter and she's now 28, but no one else could possibly feel the way she felt. She was ready to throw away the darkness when she found out that she was to be a mother but she was given no chance. They took her and the darkness only grew.

After centuries of walking around and waiting impatiently she heard Emma's car in the distance. It was unlike the sound of any other, truly ghastly, but what could one expect from a screaming yellow death trap? She stared up and looked at the sky as Emma drove closer, trying to will away the nervousness of the moment and take in the sheer bliss. This is what her entire life has come down to. This is the moment that she has been waiting for before she even knew it could exist. It was finally time. Emma pulled up and parked on the street beside her and immediately her heart dropped and shattered. There was no one in the passenger seat with her. There was no smile on Emma's face. No light or hope. She felt her heart-rate pick up and the anxiety overcome her. 'I'm sure she may have just gotten lost trying to find her. Gold did say she was alive I don't know why I'm so worried.', she talked quickly to herself. A part of her didn't believe her own words, but the other part kept up the charade. There was a stone cold moment where her and Emma's eyes locked on one another, radiating nothing but feelings of despair and pain. Emma kept her blank expression on and motioned for Mal to come sit in the passenger side with her. Quite strange for her to want to talk to her in the car when they were in the middle of town, but she figured it was only due to the cold. As much as Maleficent wanted to cry, she didn't. She couldn't. How could she start crying when she didn't even know the outcome of the situation? In a way it didn't matter what it was, Lily still wasn't there.

She walked slowly towards the car and got in, feeling a huge wave of warm air hit her from the heater. It would have been refreshing just moments ago, but the adrenaline pumping through her body already had her feeling overheated. She looked at Emma and waited and waited for her to talk. She wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her but something held her back, Emma was crying. Her eyes were red and swollen, tears still stuck to her cheeks. At that moment everything went from uncertain to panic-driven. It seemed as though each of them were ready to come apart but no one wanted to be the one to speak first.

"What did you do to her…", Mal growled at the Savior. If she so much as laid a finger on her head she was going to snap her neck before she could take another breath. More tears flew gracefully down Emma's cheeks but she still didn't answer. "What did you do to her Emma?!", she yelled at her. She should have figured she couldn't trust that little witch, she was the one who chose to abandon her daughter years ago.

"I…I didn't do anything to her. She's dead." Maleficent's senses because blind after this, overcome with types of emotions she didn't know she was capable of feeling, even as a villan. She felt herself grab Emma by the wrist and squeeze it as hard as she could, so out of control that she could kill in the blink of an eye and never notice.

"Gold said she was alive! If you don't stop fucking lying I will end you. Don't try me!"

"He wasn't lying and I'm not lying.", she whispered, not reacting to the idle notion of threats from the dragon. "When he said what he said, she was still here. She died four days ago. I went to the address and found her landlord. He told me where to go, and that's when I found her headstone." The grip on Emma's wrist went soft and the look on the older woman's face was the most hollow sight Emma had ever seen. She was unreadable, staring at her in a way that made her want to jump out of her skin. She didn't blink. Didn't move. She kept staring down the blonde for what seemed like hours, not showing any signs of cracking. Emma finally noticed a tear slip down her face and it made her heart ache twice as deep. Not knowing if she should reach out, maybe even hug her, she stayed still and held her breath.

"Excuse me, I have to go.", Mal whispered as she got out of the car. Her icy yet calm tone was scarier than her in her dragon form somehow. At first Emma thought of going after her but stayed where she was, now crying fully as she rested her head on the top of the steering wheel. Lily had no hope since the day she was born. She had no real family and she had no one to love her the way she deserved. She was the product of selfishness coming from her parents and that was the worst thing about it. News would spread quickly through the town now and she wanted to run and hide. She wanted to do anything but see her family was sure she would say things she would later regret if she came face to face to them anytime soon. Starting the car back up, she drove quickly into the distance, ready to disappear for a while.

Regina was awaken from her sleep by the sound of knocking on her door. Who would possibly be bothering her at this time of morning was unknown to her; most people know better than that. She definitely wasn't a morning person and contemplated for a few moments whether she should even get up and open the door. She got up anyways, quickly getting dressed and going down the stairs.

"Yes?", she opened before she even seen who her visitor was. Her heart stopped for a moment as she seen Mal in front of her, makeup running down her face and no words escaping her lips. It brought her back to a time where she had once saved her, giving her the fire back that was practically keeping her alive. They were so different from one another now, but that didn't mean the feelings didn't remain. They had a relationship that couldn't be explained, being friends years ago but also being more than that. They used to seek contact from one another mostly in the middle of the night, filling the starry sky with noises of passion as their bodies met. Regina still remembered the way she held her after they made love, losing the signs of lust and showing care instead. Since Mal has been back Regina always found herself staring at her when they were in the same room, taking in those beautiful eyes and daydreaming about being wrapped in her embrace once again.

"Come in.", she ushered with a hand motion. Maleficent walked past her silently, slowly sitting down on the couch and staring off into the distance. Regina had never seen her like that, crying and so silent. She was always the woman who was the strongest, the most unbreakable. At this moment she had completely forgotten that today was the day Emma came home. She had just woken up and was still far too tired for all of the pieces to click together. She went out to the kitchen in a haze of fatigue and got a glass of water, sitting it down in front of Mal and taking in the look on her face.

"What's wrong dear? What happened?" Immediately after she sat down she felt the other woman's head on her shoulder. Her silent tears turned to sobs and Regina squeezed her hand tightly. Her body was shaking and her face was completely white, leaving Regina in a state of disbelief. This behavior was far too unlike Maleficent; she would never be caught coming apart. "Mal please tell me what has you so upset. I can't help you if you don't tell me." She noticed the older woman staring with a dead glare towards the photograph on the end table, a photo of Henry with his grandparents and baby Neal. She grasped Regina's hand so tightly that she thought she had broken her fingers and uttered a low growl that could make her skin crawl.

"They're going to fucking pay.", was all she said in response. Suddenly the events of today registered in Regina's mind again. Today was the day that Lily was supposed to come home with Emma. Today was the day that Maleficent got her happy ending. It of course occurred to her that this was not the case and she dreaded finding out what was currently standing in her way. Still, her relationship with the Charmings' had changed over the course of time and she wouldn't have her going after them and committing murder. It wouldn't solve anything. She panicked as she noticed the familiar tint of yellow appearing in Mal's eyes, glazing over in a fit of rage. This would have been the absolute worst time for her to turn, especially knowing that she's probably never been so angry and hurt. She didn't have to know what happened to see her pain, she could tell just by looking at her. Without thinking, Regina lurched forward and wrapped her in a tight embrace, rubbing circles in her back and doing anything she could to stop her from changing over. Maleficent was tense underneath her, her firsts clenched at Regina's sides and a rough, scaly texture starting to form at the back of her neck.

"Shh, no dear. Please don't do this. Whatever this was we can fix it I promise.", Regina said with urgency behind her voice. She was never the type who was good at consolation, but there was no better time to learn. "Please."

"They're going to pay Regina!", she yelled, digging her nails into the younger woman's sides. Regina knew that she was not the true target of her rage and tried to not act bothered by the pain that was being inflicted upon her. She would let this woman beat her down right now if it was what kept her human. Not knowing what else to do, she let her instincts take over and kissed her on the lips, holding her tightly and trying to snap her out of her transition. She felt the scales start to dissipate on Mal's neck and pulled away, hoping that what she had done was enough. There was no lust or sexual thoughts behind the kiss; it wasn't the time. There was more to this broken relationship than sex or desperation, there was love. There was care. Although Mal didn't turn, Regina could still literally feel the tension radiating from her body. She was breathing so heavily that she was sure she was going to pass out in the next few minutes. She couldn't tell what her reaction was from the kiss, but all that mattered was that it brought her back down at least a little. There was a moment of silence between the two as Regina cautiously watched her breathe. She could tell that she was working herself into a panic attack and that was something else she was hoping to avoid.

"Mal please."

"She's dead.", she whispered in a grave tone. At that moment Regina felt the world practically crash down around her. She knew how it felt to almost lose Henry to Emma completely, but it would never be the same. Just the thought of her son passing made her want to burst into tears. The way that Maleficent felt was foreign, but it wasn't necessary to relate. She didn't have to have the same experience to know that this was the worst pain possible. She had so many questions but didn't press them at the time. Does this mean that Gold lied just to gain her allegiance? How did she pass? Was Emma involved? Emma. She had forgotten to think about the Savior's personal reaction to Lily's death, but it was something she could catch up on later. Emma and Lily hadn't spoken in over ten years and she was also lucky enough to have her family for support. Maleficent had no one but Regina and she was dedicated to spending every second with her that it took to pick up the pieces. "She's gone. My Lily is gone." She leaned into Regina, sobbing uncontrollably as Regina's fingers weaved through her hair. There was nothing she could say that could help the pain so her actions would have to do.

"Shh. You're okay dear. You're going to be okay." She felt her body tense underneath her and wanted to eat her words. Encouragement was always in everyone's best interest, but she knew that in reality Mal wouldn't be okay, at least not for a long time. She didn't mean to make it worse, but Regina was no good with words. She never was.

"No.", was all Mal uttered in response.

"Yes. You'll get through this and I'll help you."

"Did you not fucking hear me? She's dead." Regina heard loud cracks all around her, the dark magic in Mal's body literally breaking all of the glass in the room. The water on the coffee table broke out of the glass, spilling all over the floor next to the couch. The mirror in the dining room, the top of the end table just a few feet away all broken into shards. Mal looked around, most likely surprised by the product of her rage. "She's dead..My Lily is dead.." She rested her head on her hands, her knees supporting her elbows as she leaned forward. The world spun around her and she couldn't breathe. Couldn't see straight. Her heart was beating so fast and was literally paining her, almost making her sure that she was having a heart attack. Without her hope of finding Lily there was no reason for her to live anymore. There was nothing left. She felt the sensation of her body becoming lighter and all she could hear was Regina's voice muffled in the background.

"Stay with me please."


	2. Lily, Part 2 of 2

DQ One-Shot: Lily Part 2

Mal felt a cool sensation on her face as she woke up from a deep slumber. Trying to take in the world around her, she noticed that she was in Regina's bed and panicked for a moment. She had forgotten how she got there for just a while until it all hit her. Her Lily was dead, it wasn't a bad dream after all; still she would give anything to wake up from this nightmare that reality was causing her. A clap of thunder startled her as she was still trying to wake up, flashes of lightning following shortly after. There were no storms in the forecast that afternoon and it was far too strange that it would storm when it was this brisk out, but when it rained it poured. As she came closer to her senses, she noticed Regina sitting beside her, holding a cool rag on her forehead and squeezing her hand. It truly was like old times, only she had never needed her so badly. Maleficent wasn't the one who had ever needed help or consolation; she was always the one giving it. After she had lost her daughter the first time, her emotions had shut themselves down. She went decades without crying. Without feeling. When Regina found her one night, blind with the need for revenge and fiery with passion, it started becoming harder for her to keep up the walls she had built around herself. This woman had the power to tear anyone down with her beauty, to make them fall to pieces under her touch.

Nothing would ever heal the pain of losing her child, even if she had never had the chance to know her. The countless number of dreams she had no longer meant a thing; nothing meant a thing anymore. The only remembrance she had of Lily was the egg that once sat graciously before her, filling her with anticipation of meeting her. She remembered it like it was only hours ago; picking out names, reading old books on motherhood and even designing a nursery for her. She remembered the first thing she bought in anticipation for her arrival, the rattle that she still couldn't let go of. Although she had not carried Lily in her body, she still felt the physical symptoms of pregnancy, whether or not that was all in her head still seemed to be a mystery. Conception while in dragon form wasn't something people knew much about, so she really didn't have a need to define her answers. She had spent the course of months sleeping for half of the day, having no energy and constantly craving the worst foods. Her body was constantly aching and nauseated and she had grown twice as emotional as she had before. Magic was a funny thing so nothing was impossible; still she wondered if it felt the same to go through a pregnancy that was one-hundred percent physical. Through all of the ailments her body had put her through, she put them aside and replaced them with thoughts of holding her child for the first time. She had felt an attachment to Lily from the moment she found out she was a mother-to-be, the feeling was electric. It held her together.

She wondered what Lily was like when she took her first breath in this world; who got to experience that moment that was so suddenly ripped away from her? What color were her eyes? Did she look like her? Who comforted her when she cried and who rocked her every night? It was probably so easy for them, soothing her child while making comments about how sorry they were for her lack of parents. Telling all of their friends about the daughter they had that no one wanted, the one who had a deadbeat mother and a father that walked out. She wondered what Lily was like as she got older. Did she have someone to braid her hair or cook her breakfast in the morning? Did they help her with her schoolwork and teach her how to act like a lady? It didn't matter what they did now, all that mattered is that the opportunities were taken from her. Nothing would ever change the fact that she was her daughter and no one else's; she loved her first. It still hadn't occurred to her to question what caused Lily's sudden death, especially at a young age. The time for those questions would come, but the fact that she was gone was all she needed to know to tear her apart. As much as she wanted to blame Emma, she couldn't. She believed her. It would have been so much easier if she had someone to lay all of the guilt onto, but the fact remained that Snow and Charming were still the guiltiest of them all. If it hadn't been for them, her daughter would have never gotten lost in that world. She would still be with her.

She felt Regina running fingertips lightly down her side as she came out of her own self-induced hysteria, forcing herself to stay grounded with her surroundings. Her eyes were still crying somehow, even though she figured she would have no tears left at this time. Her stomach churned and made her feel ill as the cycling thoughts of despair hit her in waves. She didn't want to talk. She didn't want comfort, there was no use. There never would be.

"How are you feeling dear?", Regina asked with concerned eyes. It was hard not to snap at her for asking the obvious, but she knew that she was only trying to help. It was more than anyone else would ever do, she should try to find some respect in that.

"I don't know why I'm up here. What time is it?"

"You passed out. You woke up for a few minutes before falling asleep, but I figured I'd let you get some rest and not wake you up. It's four-thirty and you look terrible, do you want something to eat?" Mal shook her head no and sighed. Her appetite would probably never return, just the way her happiness wouldn't. Her eyes were constantly locking on to all of the photos in Regina's home, she had so many that it was hard to keep away from them. On the nightstand beside her bed was a picture of her and Henry. He was just a young boy in the photo, wrapped tight in Regina's arms as they sat on a park bench together. They had probably shared that day with smiles and laughter without the fear of being torn from one another. Her hand tensed as the glass in the frame cracked, Mal feeling guilty for accidentally destroying half of the things in Regina's home. She had never experienced her powers becoming so unstable and uncontrollable, but love makes you do crazy things. Neither woman said a word and Regina said nothing of the damages that she was inflicting to her property, instead continuing to try to soothe her in every way she knew how. She wanted to wrap her arms around her but was afraid of her intentions being misjudged, she would never take advantage of Maleficent's weakness.

"I want to die Regina.", she whispered while staring at her. It wasn't something she had ever heard her say and she knew that there was no hint of exaggeration in her statement. The calmness and etiquette in her whisper was enough to fear for her well-being. If there was something she knew about Mal, it was that the quieter she got the worse she felt.

"I'm not letting that happen. You have too much to live for." Mal scoffed at this with a chuckle that was only supposed to show sarcasm.

"I have nothing to live for. This was all I was holding onto. This was all I had."

"I know it hurts but there are other reasons why you belong here.", she almost pleaded with her. This was the first time she had seen someone go through this type of thought process besides herself, remembering all too well what it was like to hold a sleeping curse inches away from her own finger.

"I don't understand why she's gone, I don't know what happened...", she finally said after another long moment of silence, her voice breaking as she finally started asking for answers that she really didn't want to hear.

"I don't know if now's the time for -"

"She was my daughter! I have the right to know what happened to her!", she yelled, causing Regina to wince at the loudness of her voice. For a moment Regina tried to quickly come up with a lie, knowing that the truth would only hurt her worse. She wasn't good at making up stories on the spot and digging herself into a hole wasn't in her best interest so she decided against it. "Regina you know something and I need you to tell me. Now. Please."

"Okay.", she responded under her breath. "I talked to Emma an hour or two ago. Lily developed some problems as she reached adulthood. She was in the foster care system and was considered a runaway. She hooked up with the wrong people and started developing bad habits. When her coworker went to check on her after not hearing from her for the past few days she had passed. She overdosed." The words hit Mal like a truck. There it was, like mother like daughter.

"I.. I don't.." She felt like she was going to faint again as her body broke with sobs. Her ploy to act independent no longer existed and she reached for Regina, desperate for touch. Desperate for someone to take away the pain. Every second that passed made her hurt worse and she started to question whether or not it was normal to feel this way. Did other people hurt this badly when they lost their child? Was she overreacting? Surely if she had ever seen someone acting the way she is she would have told them to suck it up. She had never had any empathy. The bottomless pit of hopelessness somehow continued to grow, almost reaching the whole way through her body. Was Lily's fate set in stone before Snow and Charming sabotaged her? Was her own bad behavior able to pass through genetics and ruin her daughter's life? If Lily had been there she would have given it up, she knew she would have. It was the next best thing to keep her together, it was an escape from reality even long before she was about to reach motherhood. Lily was gone, falling suit to the same prey that almost killed her mother every few hours. Mal sat up, her body now slumped against Regina, barely able to hold itself up due to the exhaustion the grief had caused.

Regina ran her fingers through her hair and let her cry, doing all of the things she wished someone would have done for her many times in the past. She knew what it was like to have no one and no one should have to go through this alone. "I'm going to go get you some water okay?"

"I don't want anything.", Mal said with irritation. The emotion was building strong on her and she could feel her self-control slipping. It didn't matter what anyone said, she wasn't letting herself live to see another day. Not without her happy ending. Not without Lily.

"You need to stay hydrated, trust me." With that she got up and headed downstairs, leaving Maleficent alone with her thoughts. The moment she was alone her demeanor had changed, rage and mania taking over every thought and movement inside of her. Her moods were constantly snapping between reaching out for a shoulder to cry on and wanting to break away to answer death. If she knew Regina as well as she once had, she knew exactly where to find what she wanted. She wasted no time and jumped off of the bed, finding the red box at the bottom of the closet and immediately smiling to herself. 'I knew the Evil Queen would never change, she doesn't even change her hiding spots.', she thought to herself happily. She felt her hands shake with anticipation as she opened the lock (she wasn't good at hiding the keys either), looking back at all of the shine coming from beneath her. Knives. Two daggers. Potions. It was heaven. Her breathing was hindered once again and no thoughts of the consequences of her actions took root. It didn't matter how other people felt, no one gave a shit anyways. Knowing that she didn't have much time, she picked up one of the daggers and studied it, running her finger over the smooth and sharp edge. A drop of blood fell from her finger and gave her a high that even her drugs couldn't compete with. This would be easy. This would be quick. She didn't know if there was a Heaven or an afterlife out there, but if there was a chance she could be with her Lily again that was all that mattered. How would Regina feel about this, was it important? She had Henry and Emma and those two bastards who ruined her life, she would forget about her in a mere matter of days. She held her breath and held the sharp weapon in front of her, knowing all too well how to use it.

"Here you need to - what the fuck are you doing!" Regina startled her as she dropped the glass from her hand. Great, she waited too long to act and that would most certainly be her downfall. Mal didn't put her hand down from the position it was in, looking at the younger woman as if she were about to kill her too.

"Don't come any closer Regina. I'm done here."

"Please no. You don't need to do this Mal. Please" She tried to keep her voice calm but could feel it breaking apart. She wasn't letting her die. She wasn't letting her go. Mal was frozen with the point of the dagger an inch away from her chest, leaving Regina to wonder if she was having second thoughts. The fact that she never went back after choosing her fate was petrifying her. "Please." She was the one sobbing now, watching helplessly as one of the only people she truly cared for was about to give in to the darkness.

"You can't take this pain away. This is the only thing that will. I'm sorry Regina."

Darkness. There was only darkness. She walked around on a floor which felt like air, staring off into the black distance. She heard nothing. Seen nothing. Where was she? Is this another fucked up dream? Her body felt physically painless but her emotions still wrecked havoc on her nerves. Nothing seemed the same as it had before; her surroundings made no sense at all.

"Mom?" A small voice behind her caused her to jump and she turned around, seeing a woman in front of her. She was the only light in this dark abyss and she was beautiful. Long brown hair, a smile on her face and the complexion of an angel. She couldn't believe it. There was no way this was possible.

"…Lily?", she said with a new hope in her voice. The young woman nodded at her and walked forward, finally joining her in an embrace that should have happened twenty-eight years ago. Maleficent was afraid for a moment that she would squeeze her to death and had to keep a check on her strength. This was it. It didn't matter where she was, this was happiness.

"Mom I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for everything."

"Honey it's not your fault. It's mine. I did everything wrong and I lost you, but now you're here. None of that matters anymore. We can be together now."

"No. You need to go, but first I had to tell you that I loved you." Mal tilted her head a bit, confused and hurt at her daughter's wishes.

"I need to - why? I just got here. Please don't push me away."

"I know how much you love me. I can see it in your eyes and I had to see you just one time. But it's not time for us to be together yet, I promise that in the future we will be but for now you need to let go. You still have a life to live." Somehow she felt comfort in the sound of her voice. Consolation in the promise that this wouldn't be the last time she would ever see her beautiful daughter. She started feeling a heavy weight lift off of her chest as Lily grasped her hand tightly, running her fingers over the top of her hand. It almost felt like magic was pulsing through her at her touch, it was unlike anything she's ever felt.

"Please Mom, do this for me. Be strong for me, okay?" Mal said nothing but nodded, smiling and feeling complete for the first time in her life. A warmth spread over her body and in seconds she felt herself fall asleep, somehow standing up but not falling. Lily's face faded into the darkness and everything went back to the same shade of black it had been before. Yes, she had found her happiness.

"Mal, Mal please wake up.", Regina pleaded with her. "Please." She breathed for probably the first time in ten minutes as her friend's eyes opened, groggily staring up at her with wide eyes. As she tried to sit up she felt the weight of a brick sitting on her chest, sharp pain and heaviness keeping her lying where she was. "Here, let me help you." She grabbed her hand and slowly helped her up, leaning her against the bed and not letting go for a while. She knelt down besides her, tears still freely flowing down her face as she looked into her eyes.

"Regina..what..", she started to say before cutting herself off. She shouldn't be here, how was she back here? Although she was afraid to look down, she forced herself to do so anyways, shocked at the sight. Her shirt was open but there was no mark on her chest. No trace of blood. Not even a scratch. Had she literally become delirious? "How.."

"Don't. Ever. Do that to me again.", she said through gritted teeth. She sounded angry, fuming almost, but the breaking in her voice gave away the fact that that wasn't all she was feeling. She brought another hand up in front of Mal's chest, pushing a beam of purple light into it.

"Did you..did you heal me? This isn't possible. You can't bring back to dead Regina. No one can. This isn't real."

"You're wrong dear." She moved her face closer, pulling her in for a kiss on the lips. It wasn't heated nor passionate, just tender and sweet. "Did you honestly think I was going to let you go so easily? True love conquers all you know." True love? Had she heard her right? Mal herself had questioned whether or not the younger woman had loved her the same but never had found the courage to ask. She had dismissed the idea years ago, convincing herself that Regina had moved on and she had to do so as well.

"You love me?"

"I do love you. I love you and I can't live without you. So please, if you need to find something to live for, live for me." Maleficent smiled for the first time in a long time, feeling graceful and calm. All she could think about was her smiling daughter, the warmth of her embrace and the light shining in her eyes.

"I met her Regina. I met my Lily." Whether or not the lack of oxygen to her brain caused her to hallucinate or if she had actually had an encounter with her daughter didn't matter to Regina, whatever brought her peace.

"And how was she?" Mal's eyes seemed to glisten as light started shining through the window, the thunderstorm suddenly breaking and all of the clouds disappearing into thin air.

"She was beautiful. I'm living for her, and now I'm living for you too."


End file.
